Ga. officials limit turtle harvest

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia will limit the number of wild turtles that hunters can capture because of fears that increased demand from markets in East Asia could hurt local populations.

The Department of Natural Resources approved rules this week forcing people who take more than 10 turtles at a time to get a permit.

Those with permits are subject to varying restrictions that vary by type of turtle. For example, hunters can take no more than 100 soft-shell turtles annually and no more than 1,000 pond slider turtles.

It is unclear how many turtles are hunted annually in the state.

DNR wildlife official Mike Harris said officials worried that increased demand for turtles in Asia, particularly China, could increase the hunt for them in Georgia.